I never was a fan of garbage bag couture but these I love. Conceived by fashion designer and creative director Gary Harvey, this collection set out to prove that recycled clothing can be beautiful, innovative, and enchanting. The couture-inspired collection, which was shown at London Fashion Week back in 2007, features gowns made entirely from recycled materials: 42 pairs of Levi’s 501s, 37 black tees, 30 copies of the Financial Times, 28 camouflage army jackets, 26 nylon baseball jackets, 21 laundry bags, 18 trench coats, ten pre-owned wedding dresses, and seven Hawaiian shirts — to be exact. It seems that the original colors, textures and shapes of the reclaimed materials did much to inspire the silhouette of the final pieces themselves.

Looking to save on swimsuits before the end of the season? Now’s your chance. Eco-Panda is offering 20% off its line of sustainably made swimwear (thanks to one of my favorite green blogs Your Daily Thread). Simply type coupon code “YDT” to redeem the discount. My favorite styles take inspiration from retro, Japanese floral prints such as the Tokyo Station (above right), or modern geometric mosaics found in the Tsunami (above left). Prices are reasonable, most retail around $68 per suit before the discount.

THE FAB FACTOR:

According to Eco-Panda, their collection of suits is made from a recycled nylon fiber called Regen. The raw nylon is recovered from fishing nets, ground into chips, liquified into a knit woven fabric. The result leads to a 27% reduction in natural petroleum production and 28% less greenhouse gases during manufacture. Not to mention the rescue of nylon nets from the landfill.

Your Daily Thread is giving away a free Eco-Panda swimsuit to three lucky YDT readers. Simply visit today’s Friday–Food+Fashion post about Eco-Panda, and contribute a comment to be entered into the drawing. Check out YDT for more insightful green living ideas.

You’ve heard the saying: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again — and expecting different results.” But in the case of the Uniform Project, insanity has been reinvented and yielding unexpectedly stylish and sustainable results. All in the name of charity.

This is a project of true innovation. How many of us would ever dare to wear the same look, every day, for a year? Sheena Matheiken has set out on such a quest to see how one foundational garment can be transformed when styled with vintage, sustainable or recycled accessories:

Starting May 2009, I have pledged to wear one dress for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion. Here’s how it works: There are 7 identical dresses, one for each day of the week. Every day I will reinvent the dress with layers, accessories and all kinds of accouterments, the majority of which will be vintage, hand-made, or hand-me-down goodies. Think of it as wearing a daily uniform with enough creative license to make it look like I just crawled out of the Marquis de Sade’s boudoir.

Let’s be honest: most people wouldn’t think living car-free in Los Angeles very fabulous. Green? Yes. Fabulous? Meh, not so much. This was my perception too — before I started experimenting in car-free living last February. What started as an experiment grew into a lifestyle. Seventeen months later I’m tan, fit, and roadrage-free. And in a recent interview with Siel of GreenLAGirl, I share the highs, lows and how-tos of living sans car. The Santa Monica Blue Bus is my limousine. The City of Angels, my gym. Check out the article, and let me know what you think!

It’s been awhile since I’ve gone trolling for treasures so in the interest of fun (read: mid-morning diversion) I checked out what new arrivals there were at two of my favorite online sources for vintage modern furniture and accessories (ThisisnotIkea and Lushpad). Tons out there but here is a little roundup of preloved pieces that are both modern and affordable:

YELLOW VINYL RETRO SOFA, $795
This clean-lined three-seater sofa seems to “float” off its legs. A handsome piece that costs less than a new sofa at Crate&Barrell or the Sofa Company. It’s vinyl, which I would normally shun if it were a new, but since it’s vintage, it deserves a nod. Check out the listing at ThisIsNotIkea.com.

RETRO MODERN THROW PILLOW, $35
A great fun print (love the pink, chocolate, olive color scheme). Then I noticed it’s actually made with sequins. Groovy! Only one available. Found for sale at ThisIsNotIkea.

The designer-owners of Mod Green Pod have made the leap from home decor to fashion. Owner Nancy Mims posted these beauties on her Facebook page recently: a sassy set of VANs Shoes made with Mod Green Pod’s 100% certified organic cotton prints.

According to Nancy, Vans came a-calling after seeing Mod Green Pod’s modernized Baroque prints in a random magazine clip somewhere:

They just spotted us in a mag or online when searching for organic cotton, which they knew they wanted to source for the collection. We made sure that our contract included sample shoes in our sizes (yes, those are my fuchsia legs!)

You’ll find these sneaks as part of the VANs Vault Line this spring.

THE FAB FACTOR
Mod Green Pod founders Nancy and Lisa Mims have been designing and offering certified organic cotton textiles for home since 2005. Their collection is home-grown in the U.S.: the cotton is grown, woven and printed here. Only the non-toxic, pesticide-free dyes hail from abroad (Germany to be exact, where they are held to Global Organic Textile Standard aka GOTS). In 2006 they added a vinyl-free, PVC-free wallpaper line (see our previous post).

A quickie sale alert from the Fab Green inbox: a Jacket and Coat sale at BTC Elements, my friend Summer Bowen’s online eco-chic boutique. Now’s your chance to save 20% on an in-season trench, hoodie, or captain’s coat. BTC Elements offers exclusively on eco-conscious, sustainable brands for women and men. It is a member of 1% for the Planet. Think good karma, great style.

Can we judge the candidates by the clothing they wear? Sarah Palin’s suit on debate night was definitely an Armani glam slam, but if Googling the candidates’ names with “organic” or “sweatshop-free” clothing is any indication of where the candidates stand on the environment, Barack Obama would leap over McCain in a single bound. Companies like Clothing of the American Mind (COTAM), among hundreds of others are offering election-minded, pro-Obama fashion that is either organic, sweatshop-free, or both. From now until election day (November 4th folks!), all COTAM tees are 20% off in their online store, with free shipping and a free Obama love sticker for your car.

COTAM has been linking social responsibility with fashion since 2004 and has been seen on and modeled by celebrities like Amber Valleta (top), Natalie Portman (below), Diane Lane, Jamie lee Curtis and others.

SWEATSHOP-FREE TEES FOR MCCAIN? YOU BETCHA!

Although harder to find there are sweatshop-free pro-McCain and Palin tees out there for right-leaning greenies too at CafePress (shown right) or Skreened (shown left), who also prints ethically on American Apparel tees. More organic “McCain Palin” tees are available at JoinJohnMcCain. Nothing to speak of style-wise, but the environment doesn’t have to be a partisan issue.

CAN I WEAR MY OBAMA OR MCCAIN T-SHIRT TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY?

According to the Root, most states will allow you to wear your “Barack, Paper, Scissors” or “Citizen McCain” t-shirt — but it does depend on where you live:

An ominous e-mail has been causing quite a bit of confusion for voters recently. With an urgent warning to recipients, the e-mail claimsthat election officials have the right to turn away any voters wearing campaign paraphernalia to the polls. So what’s up? Can you rock that “Obama Mama” T-shirt to cast your vote on Nov. 4?

In most states, you’re in the clear. Wearing campaign paraphernalia—a button, a sticker and, of course, a T-shirt—in support of any candidate is seen as passive electioneering. Some states are more lenient. In Kentucky, Marylandand Florida, election officials most often make no fuss about voter attire. The only thing banned there is the display of excessive campaign garb (i.e. head-to-toe Obama gear) or outright solicitation. Wearing campaign paraphernalia and lingering in the polling station is also a no-no in those states.

Other states, such as Pennsylvania and New York, maintain laws on passive electioneering while remaining lax in enforcement. In New York, for example, refusing to comply with the request of election officials to remove an item is considered a misdemeanor, but arrests have rarely—if ever—been made.

Not everyone is as laid-back about the issue. In the District of Columbia, strict rules apply. Prior to entering a polling station in the District, everyone is required to remove or cover up any exposed campaign paraphernalia. No exceptions.”

Metropolitan Magazine is looking for a design superhero.Could it be you?

Rising energy costs present new design problems”

– Metropolis Magazine

It’s a competition challenging us to “redesign the broken models of the 20th century. Challenge our patterns of living and working in a fuel-hungry world…come up with solutions that connect us, make us more efficient, more humane.

Ask yourself…
How would I bring work closer to home?
Can a product help eliminate long commutes?
What can I do to revitalize old ideas such as living above the store?
What kind of interiors or furnishings does a telecommuter really need?Or follow your own dreams…what calls out for a major redesign?

Focus on one area that needs fixing—products, interiors, buildings and landscape, communication systems, or anything else you can imagine—and develop your idea fully.

The competition is open to all designers in practice 10 years or less. For details on this and other design competitions visit Metropolis Magazine.

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